Homemade pesto is a staple in our house. Although I love traditional pesto (made with pine nuts), almonds are much more affordable ($6/lb vs. $15/lb) and they pack a nutritional punch.
Almonds are about 160 calories per serving (1/4 cup), provide a great source of vitamin E, and are a good source of calcium and iron.
Wondering how to use pesto? Here are a few ideas:
– Spread it on a sandwich (to replace mayo and mustard).
– Slather it on grilled chicken or roasted vegetables
– Bake it on top of white fish
– Add it to a veggie-rich omelet
– Mix 1 T. with a 1/4 cup of hummus, enjoy with pita and fresh veggies.
Special thanks to Juliette Britton for the guest post recipe!
Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup of almonds
– 3 cloves of garlic, minced
– 1/3 cup of olive oil
– 1/2 t. kosher salt
– 1 oz of fresh basil
– 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
– 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Place almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add minced garlic and salt and blend for 15 seconds. Add basil and olive oil, blend until smooth. Finally, add 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, blend for 5 seconds. Once done, squeeze about 1 T. of fresh lemon juice and place in an airtight container in the fridge. The pesto will keep for about a week (in our house it usually doesn’t last that long)! Enjoy!
Want to learn how “Food Feelings” affect your health and how to eat for optimal energy and well-being? Please check out this FREE Make Nutrition Fun Course on teachable!
